Some Descendants of Walter PALMER

First Generation

1. Walter PALMER[scrapbook] was born 1585 in England. He died 10 Nov 1661 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut and was buried in Wequetequock Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

To America 1628/9 on the "Four Sisters"
AMERICAN ANCESTRY - Vol. XI (1898) by Joel Munsell's Sons-Pg 152-3.
THE GRANBERRY FAMILY by Donald Jacobus (1945)
GENEALOGICAL & FAMILY HISTORY OF THE STATE OF CT. by William Cutter, p. 133-4 EXTINCT PEERAGES by Burke (1831) pages 555-7.
THE PEIONEERS OF MASSACHUSETTS by Charles Pope - page 342.
NEW ENGLAND REGISTER - Vol. II (1857) - pages 39 - 40.
THE PALMERS - page 7 - 9.
HISTORY OF THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF STONINGTON, CT 1674-1874" By Richard Wheeler (1875)
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF STONINGTON by Richard A. Wheeler - pages 504 to 527. HISTORY OF NEW LONDON by Frances M. Caulins (1860)-pgs 102-105, 284-526.
REGISTER OF PEDIGREES Edited by John Reynolds Totten - pg 53.
THE COMPENDIUM OF AMERICAN GENEALOGY - Vol. VII by Frederick Virkus p 872 STONINGTON CHRONOGOGY 1649-1949 -By William Haynes - pgs 12-15. 26-27.
COLONIAL FAMILIES OF THE UNITED STATES - by George MacKenzie - pg 377-8.
CAR-DEL SCRIBE - pages 7, 17-18.
HISTORY OF NEW LONDON COUNTY, CT" by D. Hamilton Hurd - pgs 653-4.
GENEALOGICAL DICT. OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND by James Savage GENEALOGY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM CHEESEBROUGH OF BOSTON, REBOBOTH, MA by Anna Chesebrough Wildey.
GENEALOGICAL GLEANINGS IN ENGLAND - page 326-7.
PALMER RECORDS by Noyes F. Palmer (1881)

ELDRED AND ASSOCIATED FAMILIES, Researched by: Catherine Matson & Clarice McNiven, Compiled by: Carol & Susan Matson, pp. 98.
Walter Palmer came to America in 1626 and settled first in Salem with his brother, Abraham. Rebecca came to America in 1632 and settled in Roxbury, MA. Walter and his brother, along with others, founded the town of Chaarlestown, named in horor of King Charles I. Walter built the first dwelling-house in Charlestown after it was made into a township. He was a prominent man in Massachusetts and was admitted a Freeman there 18 May 1631. His records in the book of "Possessions of Charlestown" state he had 158 acres of land. On 24 Aug 1643 several men had agreed to found a new town. They met in Weymouth and prepared for the settlement of a place which was to be at Seacuncke. The new planters proposed to start a township which should be independent of the other organizations until they could decide upon a government, but in 1645 they were assigned to the jurisdiction of the Plymouth Colony, and Walter Palmer was sent to represent them at their General Court. This assignment was made by the "United Commissioners of the two Colonies" that is the Plymouth Colony and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. At the beginning of the country all those who landed in Plymouth were combined as the Plymouth Colony, that was those who came between 1620 and 1630. Those who started to come in 1630 and landed in Boston settled what was known as the Massachusetts Colony. This assignment was called instead of Seacuncke, Rehoboth which was the beginning of the State of Massachusetts. The name of Rehoboth was selected by their Pastor Rev. Samuel Newman who said "The Lord has made room for us." In 1643 the proprietors of the new town agreed to give the value of their estates, that the amount of land might be in proportion to their ability to pay and Walter gave the amount of 419 pounds. In the year 1645, young John Winthrop was commissioned by the Great and General Court to begin the new settlement of New London, Conn. He urged Mr. Chesborough to take part in there. Whereupon Mr. Cheseborough journeyed from Rehoboth down through Connecuicut to view the land and supposing that it was part of the Mass. territory he applied for and received 2299 acres. He quickly induced Walter Palmer to join him. With his family, except son Jonas, Walter started south in 1652/3, bought land on the east bank which is now Stonington, Conn. This was found to cover a part of the tract which had been formerly sold to Thomas Minor who had married Grace, eldest daughter of Walter, and came to Charlestown very soon after his father-in-law had settled there. The Governor made an agreement 15 Jul 1653 Walter should give for the place such cattle that Thomas Minor should select out of Walter's stock. This contract recognized the title to the house and land at first sold Thomas Minor. The rest of Walter's purchase was on the south of this land and his whole tract was 1200 acres. Until 1654/5 the planters of this new town attended worship in New London, Conn., but the frequent rough weather, the difficulties of going such a long distance, being obliged to cross two rivers, made the people very desirous to hold a meeting in their own territory and this gave rise to the extremely large, the spirit of industry existed to a degree never excelled and it follows that these families and the descendants have left their impression upon the world and made the world better for their sojourn here.
Walter's estate was over 1656 pounds, a very large sum. The old burial ground was set apart by him and there he lies. A granite stone pillar about 1 1/2 feet square and 9 feet high is thought to mark his grave, no inscription remains but it lies in the midst of a long line of Palmer graves. His name is inscribed on one face of the modern shaft erected in 1899 to the memory of the four early settlers. Walter Palmer's name on this pillar faces the main part of town.

Researching this line is cscox@gci.net
Researching this line is Nancyann Norman at nancn@exis.net
Researching this line is Shannon Rathbun at rathbun@tir.com
Researching this line is Scott R. Cunningham at Scott@customstaffing,com

Walter married (1) Elizabeth Ann on 1 Nov 1607 in England. Elizabeth was born about 1600 in England.

Walter also married (2) Rebecca SHORT, daughter of Thomas SHORT, on 1 Jun 1633 in Charlestown, Suffolk Co., Massachusetts. Rebecca died 15 Jul 1671 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut and was buried in Wequetequock Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.

History of Stonington CT, by Wheeler, page 506.
Rebecca came to this country in 1632
Walter Palmer, by Doris Palmer Buys, page 20.
"On 1 June 1633 Walter, his daughter Grace, and his future wife, Rebecca Short, joined Charlestown First Church, Rebecca transferring from the Roxbury Church. She may have been one of the young people whose parents died on the voyage to America and who were put in the care of some family here -- 'bound out' until they were of age. Unlike the Southern states, New England would accept no women of uncertain origin, and the fact that Rebecca was immediately admitted a member of the Roxbury Church and became the wife of an important man shows that she was not an ordinary maid servent."
Page 47,
Rebecca Short (daughter of Thomas Short. (according to research manuscripts of Dr. Byron Smith Palmer) a member of the Roxbury Church. The Rev.
John Eliot was Minister of the Church where they were married. (the handwritten manuscripts of Dr. Palmer have no reference.)

Benjamin PALMER was born 30 May 1642 in Charlestown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts and was christened 6 Jun 1642 in Charlestown, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts. He died 10 Apr 1716 in Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut and was buried in Wequetequock Burying Ground, Stonington, New London Co., Connecticut.